


Generals of Grado

by BlimpFruit



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-11-06
Packaged: 2019-08-07 02:32:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16399706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlimpFruit/pseuds/BlimpFruit
Summary: A glimpse of the 6 Imperial Generals, at different points in their lives.





	1. Tiger Eye

The man seemed to have finally given up the fight. Then again, it wasn’t like he’d be able to continue with that jagged wound through his arm, Caellach supposed. He had given up trying to pick up the sword that had fallen out of his grasp, as it seemed enough tendons had been severed to make it so that his fingers just scrabbled uselessly around the grip.

“I...I yield. Take whatever you want. I promise I and my family will not resist further.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. The order was that you die, and well, I ain’t one to disobey orders. It’s nothing personal, you know?”

The man’s eyes widened. Apparently it hadn’t occurred to him until now that his life was in danger.

“Please, have mercy! Tell Hamon I will have the debt paid soon, I just need a little more time!”

Caellach sighed. Debt collection, again? He knew that as a mercenary he wasn’t really entitled to be picky about whatever jobs the troop accepted, so long as he got paid. Even still though, it was a bit tiring.

“Look, if it’s any consolation, we didn’t get any directions about your family, so I’m sure they’ll be just fine. Well, I won’t do anything to any of them, anyways. I can’t talk for the other guys, but I’ve never really been interested in hurting women.”

“Please...My sons won’t be able to survive in this hellhole of a city without me guiding them…”

Caellach barked out a humorless laugh. Really, if anything, he was doing the man’s sons a favor by killing their father, seeing as the only place their father had managed to “guide” them to was having their home invaded by a bunch of burly men with blades. The man continued to feebly protest, but Caellach figured he had wasted enough time, and so silenced him with an axe to the neck, not looking when the figure crumpled to the floor.

“Having any trouble over here?” 

Caellach didn’t even need to turn around to know that it was Joshua. He’d recognize that amused lilt anywhere.

“Oh, no. This guy put up a bit of a fight, but nothing I couldn’t handle”, he said casually. 

The myrmidon raised an eyebrow, looking down. “You sure? He seems to be still kicking to me.”

He looked down. Blast. The man was still twitching, grasping to the last threads of life. He certainly wasn’t going to be getting up and having revenge, but Caellach wasn’t so sadistic that he’d just watch the man thrash himself into the beyond. Caellach ended his suffering with another quick blow from the steel axe.

“See? Perfectly handled. Anyways, how’d things go on your end?”

Joshua groaned exaggeratedly. “Ah, what I’d have given to seen even a bit of action. Instead, I got put on the brat patrol. I gotta say, those children are more vicious than beasts!”

Caellach grinned roguishly. “Just goes to show that marrying and settling down ain’t it’s cracked up to be, you know?”

“Oh? This coming from Mr. ‘I’m gonna be a king someday, just watch’?”

He frowned. “Tch. You know it ain’t like that.”

“Then what is it about, then? Personally, I never saw the appeal of being shut up in a stuffy court all day. I’d much rather be out in the world, with nothing more than my blade.”

Caellach had always gotten the sense that Joshua’s disdain for his goals in life came not just from a hypothetical distaste, but from personal experience. While the gambling-obsessed man had always put up a good front of just being a common drifting sellsword, there was always a hint of some nobility lurking beneath the surface. As someone who had grown up with nothing, he was pretty sure he could tell when someone was faking it, and he figured there was something more behind the surface, hidden like the eye under Joshua’s hat. If he had to guess, he was probably some second son of a minor viscounte in Rausten, who wasn’t suited for the church. He never pressed Joshua on his past, though. He could understand the desire to want to put everything behind him. The fact that Joshua never questioned him on certain things was what made working with him more tolerable than the other louts in the guild. That, and his sword arm wasn’t too bad, he thought wryly.

“Really though, why kingship? No offense, but it just seems a bit...childish, for you, y’know?”

“Heh, you really don’t pull your punches, do you? Nah, it’s fine.” He closed his eyes, trying and failing to banish the images of that miserable hamlet he had the supreme misfortune of being born in. “Let’s just say that I’ve known people who were convinced that I’d be nothing, that I’d always be a worm stuck in the dirt, and that I’d really like to prove those people wrong. That’s why I had to leave them, and that place behind.That enough of a reason for you?”

“You had to leave your home to not be stifled by others’ expectations, huh?”

“I guess that’s a way of putting it.”

Caellach thought he caught a glint of understanding in Joshua’s eye, but it was quickly replaced by the veneer of casual arrogance he kept on all the time. They both settled into an easy silence, that was quickly broken by a shout.

“We’re done here! Let’s return to the guild!”

Joshua broke out of his lean against the wall. “Looks like Aias finished grabbing all the valuables. C’mon, let’s go get some drinks. Wanna have a bet to see who pays?”

“Please, save your cheats for someone who hasn’t talked to you for more than two seconds.”

He ignored Joshua’s look of feigned indignation at being caught out, and cast his gaze back down to the man lying in the blood pool. He didn’t even know what he was called. Just a nameless corpse. Caellach resolved himself, swearing that he’d never end up like that. He’d get himself a crown, and all the respect and fame that it garnered.

No matter what the cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting off with the one that nobody cares about. Kinda fits with the character, I suppose.


	2. Fluorspar

“Dane, please, you can’t do this!”

“I don’t have a choice, Selena. It’s either this or we starve!”

Dammit, why did he have to be so stupid and stubborn? Who did he think he was fooling here? Did he really think she couldn’t see the ragged emptiness behind that shell of a confident expression he was trying to make? It almost made her want to give up and let the idiot go get himself killed. 

Almost.

“Dane, use your head for once in your life! Who do you think you’re going to be able to pickpocket? You were a butterfingers before the famine hit!” 

“I’ll figure it out! There’s gotta be someone I can shakedown, it ain’t like we’re the only ones whose harvest went to hell!”

“Don’t you think that if someone else was as hard hit as us, they wouldn’t even have anything for you to steal!”

That was what finally got her older brother to stop in his tracks. He turned around slowly, his fist clenched. With a pained expression, he stomped over to Selena and grabbed her shoulder roughly, making her gasp.

“For once in your life Selena, can you just shut up with all of your intelligence? Look, I get it, okay! This is a really bad thing to do, and there’s probably a million reasons you can come up with for why this will end poorly because you’re so damned smart. But none of that matters when at the end of the day, you and me and Mom are going to end up in a grave because we can’t survive on those tiny pieces of bread for long! And unless the gods decide that they’re done having a laugh watching us scrabble around in barren fields, there isn’t anything else we can do!”

Selena had turned her head away halfway through Dane’s impromptu speech, not wanting him to see the tears that had started to form in her eyes. Partly because she hated looking like a crybaby in front of her brother, and partly because he was right. Ought of all the kids in the village, she was the one who the adults were always cooing over for how precocious she was, that they should figure out a way to send her to magic school because surely she’d be wasted here, but what was that doing for them right now, in everyone’s time of need? Nothing, that’s what.

It appeared that her attempt to hide her face from her brother failed utterly, as he had let go of her shoulder and moved it to her face, slowly turning it to face his now apologetic expression.

“Look...I’m sorry, okay? Just...just go home. Don’t want you getting involved if things go south.”

“Dane…”

“Please, just do this for me. There’s no way Mom could stand it if both of us got caught. I promise I’ll come back soon, okay.”

“...”

“Fine.”

He grinned at her, but Selena wasn’t fooled. He hated this just as much as she did. But still, she forced herself to stand at the spot waving as he disappeared around the corner, heading for the village marketplace. She then took a deep breath, counting to twenty in her head slowly, and then set off after him. Maybe her mind wasn’t enough to find a way out of their village’s predicament, but she’d be damned if she wouldn’t get her brother out of whatever trouble he was surely about to land himself in.

 

It took her a second to find him in amidst the small set of stalls. As she had guessed, it was proving quite difficult for him to find a mark, as there were few people walking around, and even fewer who looked like they had even a single gold on them. It made her sad, thinking on how this place had been bustling what seemed like not too long ago. But, this also meant that she had to be careful to stay hidden, as there was no crowd to give her cover from her brother, who would surely be incensed if he found out early that she had disobeyed him. Suddenly, she saw Dane’s roving eyes lock onto something, and she quickly followed his gaze to his target. Oh by the gods, was he really considering trying to rob Corsa? The niece of the village magistrate, who never let a moment go by without reminding everyone of how awful the “little runts of the village were”, and who was convinced she deserved far better than what she had in this “forgotten backwater”? Did he have a death wish? 

Corsa was a vain woman, who made no secret of what (meager) wealth she possessed, with that oh so exposed purse by her side clearly full of coin, and apparently it was too much a prize for Dane to resist. Selena watched with trepidation is Dane walked over, feigning nonchalance, although she could see the tension in his face that he tried to mask. He made sure not to do anything to attract Corsa’s attention, as she stood lost in thought, as he inched his way near, because she’d surely storm away the moment she spotted one of “those brats”. Selena was honestly marveling at how close Dane had managed to get, without making a show of himself. Had he really gotten that much less clumsy? Or was it that Corsa was just that self-absorbed. She decided it was probably both.

But in any case, it seemed like he had really done it, without her help being needed at all. Dane had managed to cut a slit into the purse with his tiny knife that he had concealed and was slowly, carefully, reaching in…

“EEK! A THIEF!”

Well, maybe he’d need her help after all. Corsa had instantly jumped away, screeching her lungs off about the brigand who was accosting her. Dane, to his credit, had immediately realized to cut his losses and make a break for it, but all of the commotion had drawn everyone’s attention in the otherwise quiet market. Selena decided now was the time to set her plan in motion. She kicked over a nearby pallet that had been resting up against a stall wall causing a bunch of dust to flare up, and at the same time through some dirt she had picked up off the ground into the air. A crude distraction, one that wouldn’t last more than a moment, but that was all she’d need. She’d made sure to remember where exactly Dane was standing, and she rushed to that spot, grabbing his familiar hand and dragging it.

“Dane, follow me!”

“Selena!? I told you-”

“Shut up and run!”

Dane didn’t need telling twice, and let Selena lead him out of the area. But that hesitation had cost them, as before she turned around to focus on following the path and not tripping over her feet, she could see a couple of the men who were the closest to what the village could call a constable force following. Desperately, she ran down the alleys of the hamlet, weaving and turning corners to avoid the pursuit that she could hear nipping at her toes. Gods, but this was so exhausting. The hunger and weakness had always been a quiet, gnawing thing that kept her up in the middle of the night, but now it was clawing and ripping at her insides. She honestly thought she was in danger of collapsing at this rate, and judging Dane’s ragged heaving, he wasn’t much better either. As she found the last turn onto the village main throughway, where they were surely going to be able to get away, she breathed a sigh of relief. She was so relieved, she realized too late that that there was a lot of people crowded around the part she and Dane were still running full steam into. She managed to skid and stop herself at the last moment, but Dane wasn’t so lucky, having again glanced back to get a look at their pursuit, and then barreling through the crowd to the center of whatever was going on, and subsequently falling flat on his face. She pushed through to follow him, just in time for their pursuers to catch up.

Dane was sprawled on the ground in front of a covered horse-drawn carriage and a bemused-looking man she had never seen before. Selena thought he appeared rather important-looking, with those robes--was that the official vestiary of Emperor Vigarde himself? Instantly, the would-be magistrates burst in, having found their target.

“There’s that little blackhearted thief!”

“Oi, I’ll make you pay for leading us around like a bunch of dogs!”

“Gentlemen, what exactly seems to be the trouble?”

All eyes turned to the unknown man, who had a serene smile on his face.

“And wha’ exactly makes you think it’s any o’ your business, eh?”

The man’s smile only grew wider from being put down.

“Well, seeing as I am a knight serving in Emperor Vigarde’s personal order, I’d like to think that I’d be able to resolve this little kerfuffle.”

There was dead silence in the street, in response to that declaration. A cavalier who served directly under the Silent Emperor? Here? Apparently one of the men had found his nerve , however, and he cleared his throat.

“This little piece of scum was tryin’ to rob a lady!”

“Oh, is that true, my boy?”

Dane looked up at the strange man, remaining silent for a moment. After what seemed like much silent deliberation, he nodded. He then glanced over at Selena, shaking his head. He wanted her to go now, before the men remembered that there was another person they were looking for, and escape the surely forthcoming punishment.

As if she’d let that happen.

“Please, I beg of you, have mercy, sir knight!”

Suddenly becoming the focus of everyone’s eyes momentarily took Selena’s breath away, but she pressed on.

“It’s true that my brother was trying to commit the crime of thievery, but he wasn’t doing it out of greed! I-my family, we’re starving, we’re all starving! He just wanted to help us, the only way he could! Please, have forgiveness.” 

She got on her knees, bracing for the inevitable scoffing at this whelp who thought there could be an excuse for the crimes just by groveling. But, instead, she saw a hand proffered. She looked up at the man, to see that his smile hadn’t wavered.  
“Come, child. I am truly sorry for the suffering that you, that all of you have endured. But I am glad that I can proclaim to you that I am here to alleviate it. Child, if you’d be so kind as to help me unload my wagon?”

“I...Yes, of course!” Part of her was wondering if this was some sort of trick to have her take out the manacles that would be used to bind her, but she had no choice. Only a madman would defy the emperor’s direct retainers.

When he led her around to the back, and pulled off the cloth, she couldn’t keep herself from gasping. It was full of food! And not just the dry, grainy bread that they had been subsisting off of, these past weeks, but fresh fruit, and bright green vegetables. It took her too long to realize that she was staring, as the knight had to tap her on the shoulder to bring her back to reality. Here, his bright countenance finally dropped, as sympathy entered his eyes, and his smile turned sad.

“Poor dear, you really have suffered, haven’t you? Well, I’m happy I was here to help. Come on lassie, pick anything you like.”

Wordlessly, Selena pointed at the crate of apples, and the knight picked one out and gave it to her. She stared at its shiny red surface, as if it was some secret.

“I don’t understand.”

“You don’t understand what, exactly, my dear?”

“I...You’re part of the emperor’s retinue? Right, sir knight? Doesn’t that mean he sent you?”

“That’s right. When the emperor heard of your plight, I understand that he immediately gave orders to send supplies. Of course, bureaucracy was bureaucracy, hence the delays.”

“Yes, I know that we sent for aid, but...I had thought that there was no way it would be given.”

“Why ever not?”

“We don’t-We can’t pay any taxes. What use does Emperor Vigarde have for us, then?”

The knight looked shocked. “My my, you are an interesting one, aren’t you? That’s the last question I would’ve expected out of the mouth of one as young as you. But to answer your question, it didn’t matter that your taxes were going unpaid. All that mattered to the emperor was that his people were in need, and it was his duty to act.”

“That...That’s it? He just….decided to do it?”

“He truly is a great man, is he not? Every day I remind myself of how lucky I am to be pledged in service to him. But enough about me, let’s start handing these out!”

 

As they worked to divvy up the food among the shocked and grateful villagers, the knight related his time working for the emperor to her, and of all the good deeds he did. Selena was astonished. She had thought of the emperor as some grand man far away, with no interest in the lives of tiny people like her, but here he was, sending aid at his own cost to her tiny village, among so many other things. Thinking on it, she was left with one question when the wagon was emptied out.

“Do...Do you think it could ever be possible for me to serve under the Emperor?”

“Of course!”

Selena whirled around, not expecting such a quick answer.

“Really? Are you sure? I mean I’m not all that impressive…”

“I don’t know you all that well, lass, but I do know that when I saw you speaking on behalf of your brother, I saw the kind of strength I myself am always reaching for. I’m sure that if you worked at it, you would make a fine knight, one who His Highness would be proud to call his own.”

So it really was possible, then. She’d be able to meet and serve the man that saved her and her family. She could not waver, now that she knew what she wanted to do with her life. She was bursting to express her new-found resolve.

“I...I swear my eternal allegiance to Emperor Vigarde, and resolve to follow him wherever he goes!”

“Getting ahead of yourself a tad, methinks, ahahaha! But that’s the spirit!”

But of course, she meant every word of that oath, and would continue to follow it. All the way to the very end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The better FE Selena, let’s be real

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a thing. I finished the game recently, and the Grado generals seemed like they'd be interesting to write about. Fire Emblem's good for that sort of thing I suppose, since we don't really delve all that deeply into any of these characters, especially the ones that exist for you to kill to beat the chapter.


End file.
